Archive | Eating on a budget RSS feed for this section

Fun Friday: Mozaik 48 Piece Mini Dessert Set

17 May
These were so much fun I just had to feature them for a Fun Friday post!

These were so much fun I just had to feature them for a Fun Friday post!

A few weeks ago we hosted our daughter’s First Communion at our house. Besides cake, we had several other desserts and today I wanted to feature one of them.

My friend Paula had sent me this cute little 48 piece mini dessert set in the mail,  a set from Mozaik. When she saw it in a store near her, she said she thought it would be perfect for First Communion, and she was right.

Around the same time, the girls and I had attended an event at our local library that I covered for the newspaper. Advertised as a Teen Cooking Challenge, the kids had to each create their own healthy trifles, using pudding, whipped cream, and fresh fruit.

Trifle picture

I never imagined that I’d find my First Communion dessert at a kids’ cooking event at our local library!

When I saw the kids’ trifles, I knew I’d found my dessert, simple as it was, for First Communion.

And when I say simple, I mean really.simple.

The desserts I made were in two variations: Jello Sugar Free, Fat Free instant cheesecake flavored pudding or chocolate flavored pudding, prepared using skim milk, and topped with a low fat topping from Aldi’s that’s like Cool Whip. I topped the cheesecake desserts with fresh strawberries and the chocolate desserts with fresh blackberries.

Yup. That’s it!

Each little cup has a matching little spoon, which made for a really cute, yet seemingly elegant, healthy dessert! They were such a hit, there were just a couple of them left over at the end of the day.

There are so many cute ideas that you could use this set for, both desserts and appetizers. Picture a healthy veggie dip in the bottom with a few celery, zucchini and carrot sticks sticking out, or picture individual shrimp cocktail sauces with a few shrimp. Perfect, right?

Right.

And that, my friends, is my Fun Friday post for today!

Enjoy your weekend!

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

What’s for Dinner Wednesday: Sweet Hawaiian Crock Pot Chicken

15 May
This was a great crock pot recipe, and I'd definitely make it again!

This was a great crock pot recipe, and I’d definitely make it again!

I will apologize in advance that I do not know where this recipe originated. Don saw it online and sent it to me in an email. I later also saw it online on a friend’s page, she was sharing it from a recipe exchange page called Renee’s Exchange.

What I do know is that we tried the recipe and liked the recipe and I’d make it again. I had to do mine on high for less time because I got a late start, but it still came out great. We had enough leftover to serve a second night and it was just as good the second time around.

We served ours with couscous and sauteed zucchini the first time and over brown rice with a side of green beans the second time.

The only thing I cannot figure out is that the original picture that I saw showed the chicken very glazed and crispy, with the glaze sticking to the chicken. Ours was very juicy rather than a glaze. Still very tasty, but different than what I expected.

The ingredients are simple and the directions…even more simple! Give it a try on your next crock pot night!

Sweet Hawaiian Crock Pot Chicken:
Ingredients:
1 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup light soy sauce
2 pounds chicken breast tenderloins  (**I used an entire 2.5 pound bag of frozen tenderloins.)

Directions:
Add all ingredients to the crock pot and cook on low 6-8 hrs and they should just fall apart. Enjoy!

Tags: , , , , , , ,

Fun Friday: Baked Oatmeal: It’s not just for breakfast

10 May
100_3245

I’d eat this for breakfast, lunch or dinner!

The other day I came across a great new recipe for baked oatmeal. It was on Skinnytaste.com, a blog I follow on Facebook. I love all kinds of oatmeal from steel cut to overnight to baked.

This recipe also had a fruity combination that I love: strawberry and rhubarb. I didn’t have rhubarb, but I noticed that it had bananas in it, and strawberry and banana is another top favorite combination of mine so I decided to make it without the rhubarb.

Besides the fact that I skipped the rhubarb, the other thing about this recipe is that I made it as an after school snack, not for breakfast! It was so good, and everyone had seconds, everyone loved it and there was very little left over.

I would definitely make this recipe again and if I had rhubarb, I’d throw it in there, but it was also fine without!

Without further ado, here, from the Skinnytaste Blog
For the fruit filling:

  • 2 1/2 cups strawberries, hulled and quartered
  • 3/4 cup rhubarb, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 medium ripe banana, sliced thin
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1/3 cup honey
This snack was quick to put together with simple ingredients.

This snack was quick to put together with simple ingredients.

For the Oats:

  • 1 cup uncooked quick oats (use GF oats if Gluten Free)
  • 1/3 cup slivered almonds
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 3/4 cup fat free milk (or any milk you desire)
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 375° F.  Lightly spray a 9 x 9″ ceramic baking dish with cooking spray; place banana slices on the bottom of the baking dish and set aside.

Combine the strawberries and rhubarb in a large bowl. Add honey, sprinkle with cornstarch and toss until fruit is well coated and place in prepared baking dish over the bananas.

In a medium bowl, combine the oats, half of almonds, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt; stir together.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining honey, milk, egg, and vanilla extract, then add to the oats.

Pour the oat mixture over the strawberries and rhubarb, making sure to distribute the mixture evenly.  Sprinkle the remaining almonds over the the top.

Bake the oatmeal for about 40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the oatmeal has set. Serve warm from the oven.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

What’s For Dinner Wednesday: Artichoke and Tomato Pasta from Better Homes and Gardens

8 May
Looking for something a little different to go with your pasta? Try this easy recipe!

Looking for something a little different to go with your pasta? Try this easy recipe!

I love pasta, but I get tired of “plain old” pasta and sauce, especially when I’m out of homemade sauce. I recently came across this recipe in the May 2013 issue of Better Homes and Gardens magazine, and I happened to have artichokes on hand, so I gave it a try.

Artichokes are the kind of thing you either love them or hate them. I love them. A few of us here actually love them, and they’re easy enough to remove from your plate if you hate them, so this recipe was great for our family.

If you’re looking for something a little bit different, I encourage you to give it a try. It’s quick and easy and just different enough to spice things up a bit on your dinner table. Serve it with a side salad and you’re good to go.

ARTICHOKE AND TOMATO PASTA
Better Homes and Gardens May 2013

INGREDIENTS

8 oz. dried buactini, fettuccine, or whole grain spaghetti (We went with the whole grain spaghetti.)

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup sweet onion

1/4 cup olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 28 ounce can crushed or diced tomatoes

1 six ounce jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Fresh basil leaves

Grated Parmesan cheese
DIRECTIONS

1) In a Dutch oven cook pasta according to package directions. (We cooked the spaghetti in a pan on top of the stove, the way we normally do.)

Drain; reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water. Return pasta to pot. Add Parmesan cheese; toss to combine. Add enough of the reserved pasta water that pasta is evenly coated with cheese.

2) Meanwhile, in a large saucepan cook onion in hot oil over medium heat until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds more. Add undrained tomatoes, artichoke hearts, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until slightly thickened. Mash slightly with a wooden spoon.

3) To serve, top pasta with tomato mixture and basil leaves. Sprinkle with additional grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Makes 4 servings

Tags: , , , , ,

What’s For Dinner Wednesday: Brussel Sprouts

24 Apr
Until the other night, I had never had brussels sprouts.

Until the other night, I had never had brussel sprouts.

Ewwww….brussel sprouts!!!

Isn’t that what everyone always says? When people want to come up with the grossest vegetable to make you eat, isn’t it always brussel sprouts?

I guess I’d always just taken their word for it because in my whole life I had never had a brussel sprout until two nights ago. I think I just always assumed they’d be gross because everyone says so. It wasn’t until recently when someone said, “They’re just like baby cabbages,” did I realize that I might actually like them, as I like cabbage.

I took the next step: I bought some at Aldi’s.

Then I forgot I had them until my daughter was home sick, watching Cupcake Wars on TV and one of the challenges was to incorporate brussel sprouts into the recipe.

GASP!

“I have those in the fridge,” I said to Elizabeth.

We decided to give them a try. I looked up recipes and came up with this one for roasted brussel sprouts. Sounded basic, easy, and delicious.

Don came home from work that night and said, “I was talking to someone at work about how to cook brussel sprouts, and she said we should roast them with salt, pepper and olive oil.”

Well that was funny, same recipe I’d come up with.

So we tried them.

I loved them.

I was the only one.

Don liked them, Liz could take or leave them, and Caroline and Alex didn’t like them at all.

Bummer.

However, because I loved them I am posting the recipe. I had the leftovers again, the very next night.

I’d love to know though, how do you cook your brussel sprouts if you are someone who makes them? Please share any good recipes or tips with me.

And, a couple of things to note: Don parboiled them in the microwave first, just to jump-start the cooking. And, he also sprinkled garlic on them before roasting, along with the salt and pepper.

They do look just like little baby cabbages.

They do look just like little baby cabbages.

 

ROASTED BRUSSEL SPROUTS from AllRecipes.com

Ingredients

Original recipe makes 6 servings Change Servings
1 1/2 pounds Brussel sprouts, ends trimmed, yellow leaves removed
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt (we used regular)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C).
  2. Place trimmed Brussels sprouts, olive oil, kosher salt, and pepper in a large resealable plastic bag. Seal tightly, and shake to coat. Pour onto a baking sheet, and place on center oven rack.
  3. Roast in the preheated oven for 30 to 45 minutes, shaking pan every 5 to 7 minutes for even browning. Reduce heat when necessary to prevent burning. Brussels sprouts should be darkest brown, almost black, when done. Adjust seasoning with kosher salt, if necessary. Serve immediately.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

What’s For Dinner Wednesday: Cheeseburger Pizza

17 Apr
A great pizza option for get togethers!

A great pizza option for get togethers or dinner any time!

A few weeks back, I was having the typical “What are you having for dinner?” conversation with my friend Paula. When she asked me what I was having, I said, “I have no idea. What are you having?”

Her answer: Cheeseburger Pizza.

Now we have homemade pizza all the time. We make plain, mushroom, cheese, olive, bbq chicken and even Hawaiian pizzas. But, we’ve never made a Cheeseburger Pizza, as simple and delicious as it sounds.

I had everything but the dough: pizza sauce, non-fat mozzarella cheese, and ground turkey. I could easily have Cheeseburger Pizza for dinner at my house too!

And so we did. I picked up my dough on my way home from work and that night we added a new, fun pizza choice to our repertoire and we were dinner twins with my friend who was having the same thing at her house.

Everyone liked the new pizza and I’d do it again for sure. I think it’d be fun for a get together with friends and I also think you could add other toppings to it, and still keep it healthy: some fresh diced tomatoes or some olives might be great, too.

So today’s WFDW is not a recipe per se, but a menu suggestion and a question for you to go along with it: What is your favorite fun pizza to make at your house? Leave a comment and let me know!

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

What’s For Dinner Wednesday: “Fake Alfredo” Sauce

10 Apr
The kids could choose which veggie they wanted to throw into their fake alfredo meal. Here's one with peas on top.

The kids could choose which veggie they wanted to throw into their fake alfredo meal. Here’s one with peas on top.

When we first began our search for low-fat and non-fat menu options, my friend Debra sent me a recipe for a “fake” Alfredo Sauce that she’d seen online but hadn’t had a chance to try. I decided to try it this week.

It is very similar to last week’s Cauliflower Soup recipe, and starts out being made the same way. But, you throw in some extra ingredients to give it a completely different flavor. Caroline didn’t love it, but Elizabeth did, and surprisingly, so did Alex. I loved it. I’d definitely use it again, although personally I’d like it with less nutmeg in it.

Does it taste just like real Alfredo Sauce? Nope. It’s a good sauce though, and very healthy. Surprisingly, after eating it last night for dinner, I saw another fake Alfredo Sauce recipe today on Fat Free Vegan, and she said she’s seen several in her travels too. So check hers out also!

I served this over cheese tortellini. I also threw in sauteed chicken and shrimp. The kids chose whether or not they wanted to add in broccoli or peas for a veggie. There was something in the dish that everyone would like.

INGREDIENTS

- 1 lg head cauliflower
– 3 C vegetable broth
– 3 C water
– 6 cloves garlic, minced
– 1 Tbsp butter
– 1 tsp salt
– 1 tsp ground nutmeg
– 1/2 tsp white pepper
– 1 Tbsp olive oil
– 1/4 C Plain 0% greek Yogurt **(I added another 1/4 cup).
1. Chop the cauliflower into florets. Bring the vegetable broth + water mix to a boil over medium high heat and add cauliflower. Cook until cauliflower is soft, about 15 minutes.
2. While cauliflower is cooking, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and saute for 4-5 minutes until fragrant.
3. Transfer cauliflower to a blender with some of the broth then add the sauteed garlic, salt, nutmeg, and white pepper and puree until very smooth. Add more broth or water if the mixture is too thick to move through the blender.
4. Add the yogurt and cook over low heat. Serve over pasta – OR use as a cooking sauce for baking chicken.

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Fat Free Strawberry Muffins (vegan)

5 Apr
102_6338

Happy Easter!

This past weekend was Easter. Normally we host Easter but this year my parents decided to host, and I was looking for something new to bring to add to their spread.

Since embarking on our new fat-free menu plans, I’ve been doing a lot of what we like to call “healthifying” and “defatifying” of our old recipes in order to make them something we can all eat.

It’s easy enough to do to almost any recipe: wheat flour instead of white, or half wheat/half white, egg substitute instead of eggs, fat free plain yogurt instead of oil, I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter instead of butter.

Even though it’s not hard to change over a recipe to make it healthy, it was such a great find when I came across the blog Fat Free Vegan Kitchen on Facebook. I was thrilled because it meant the work was done for me. The recipes are already fat free. What a relief.

When Susan posted some yummy looking strawberry muffins on her blog in the week leading up to Easter, I knew I’d found my new contribution for Easter brunch. The recipe called for everything I had on hand, including strawberries. For our brunch I doubled it and it made 15 muffins.

The response to this new recipe was outstanding. Everyone who tried them loved them, and there were only a few left at the end of the day. It’s definitely a recipe I’d make again, and I absolutely loved that for us they were worry-free because they were definitely fat free.

I hope you’ll venture on over to Fat Free Vegan Kitchen and check out some of Susan’s other recipes. And, I hope you’ll try these delicious muffins! You’d never know they were fat free. With summertime coming, we’re heading right into fresh strawberry season. Hang onto this recipe!

**For our modifications, I used skim milk instead of non-dairy. I used a dash of sugar instead of stevia, to sweeten the batter a bit, and I added more confectioner’s sugar to thicken up my glaze a bit. It seemed too runny to me at first.**

I’ve included all of Susan’s instructions as well as her notes and nutritional information. I find her blog very helpful and informative.

The glaze on these was delicious!

The glaze on these was delicious!

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup strawberries, whole
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup non-dairy milk (as needed)
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup white whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 6 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar (optional)
  • 4 teaspoons strawberry puree or all-fruit spread (optional)
  • a few drops vanilla extract (optional)DIRECTIONS
  • Preheat oven to 350. Prepare a mini-muffin pan by oiling it lightly or filling with paper liners.
  • Place the strawberries in a food processor or blender and process until they are pureed. Measure out 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the puree into a small bowl and set aside any remaining puree for another use. Add the maple syrup, non-dairy milk, lemon juice, and vanilla.
  • In a medium bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add the strawberry mixture. Mix until just blended–do not overmix. Fill mini-muffin cups with about 1 tablespoon of batter each. Bake at 350 F, checking after 10 minutes. When a toothpick comes out clean, remove and allow to cool completely. Frost if desired (see Notes below).

Notes

To prepare frosting, combine 6 tablespoons confectioners sugar, 4 teaspoons strawberry puree or strawberry all-fruit spread, and a few drops of vanilla extract. Stir well. If frosting seems too runny, add more sugar; if too stiff, add more puree. Frost center of muffins lightly just before serving (if you use too much, it will drip off), and refrigerate any leftovers.

To make these completely sugar-free, replace the maple syrup with more strawberry puree, and add stevia to taste.

Preparation time: 15 minute(s) | Cooking time: 10 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): about 20 mini-muffins or 6 regular-sized ones

Nutrition (per mini-muffin, without frosting): 35 calories, 2 calories from fat, <1g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 73.9mg sodium, 48.4mg potassium, 7.8g carbohydrates, <1g fiber, 2.8g sugar, <1g protein, 1 points.

Nutrition (per serving, with frosting): 47 calories, 2 calories from fat, <1g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 74.1mg sodium, 48.5mg potassium, 10.9g carbohydrates, <1g fiber, 5.7g sugar, <1g protein, 1.3 points.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

What’s for Dinner Wednesday: Cauliflower Soup

3 Apr
You can either use fresh or frozen cauliflower for this recipe.

You can either use fresh or frozen cauliflower for this recipe.

Recently, my friend Karen sent me the link to a soup she really loved. It’s so fast and has very easy ingredients, and it’s one that I can drink in a mug, so it’s good for the days where I can’t stop for lunch. The link was to the blog Skinnytaste, and this soup has been a huge hit at our house.

The recipe originally calls for a head of cauliflower, and I have to say, it’s absolutely the best when made with fresh cauliflower. It’s thicker and tastier. But, I like keeping bags of frozen veggies on hand in my freezer for when I’m out of fresh veggies and I like that this recipe can also be made using the frozen ones.

Since trying this recipe out over February vacation, I’ve made it at least four or five times. You literally throw everything into the pot and let it simmer. When it’s done you blend and eat. It’s that simple. It’s completely healthy and it makes a great meal or even a great in-between-meals snack. Sometimes Caroline will have this as her after school snack. I’ll take that any day for a healthy choice!

The big, big deal though is the fact that prior to receiving this recipe, I did not have an immersion blender, otherwise known as a hand blender. I tried making it without one, and I could not. It was kind of a mess, to say the least.

A new immersion blender=a whole new world for me and my kitchen!

A new immersion blender=a whole new world for me and my kitchen!

I now have this immersion blender, and I SOOOO love it. I wanted one but I did not want to spend a lot of money so my friend Debra recommended this one from Walmart and it’s been great. I’ve used it for this soup and my cream of broccoli soup. I’ve also used the other attachment piece for making instant pudding and the batter for french toast.

The immersion blender is essential for this recipe, and I highly recommend both the recipe and the blender to make it happen! Below is Gina’s recipe from Skinnytaste, and I hope you’ll visit her blog and check it out!

Using a large head of fresh cauliflower made this batch of soup so thick and smooth and creamy.

Using a large head of fresh cauliflower made this batch of soup so thick and smooth and creamy.

CAULIFLOWER SOUP
INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 large head cauliflower – chopped
  • 1/2 cup chopped onions
  • 4-6 cups water
  • 2 chicken bouillon cubes
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • **we use chicken broth instead of water and bouillon cubes.

DIRECTIONS:
In a 5 quart saucepan, add all ingredients. Cover and simmer until vegetables are tender (about 20 minutes.) Puree with an immersion blender until smooth.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Easter Sweet Bread

29 Mar

This recipe makes three “small” loaves of sweet bread for Easter. It’s wonderful when you grill it!

Originally posted April 4, 2012

This recipe is one that takes a while from start to finish- nine hours to be exact- but if you’re game, it’s SO worth it! It is, of course, from my mom. She received it from a woman she worked with. It’s dated April 1992.

My mom makes it every year and I have made it once or twice myself. Don’t let the number of steps scare you off. If you go step-by-step it’s not hard.

Colleen DeMoranville’s Sweet Bread

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup melted butter (1 stick)

2/3 cup sugar

1 tsp. salt

2 and 1/4 cups hot milk

1 pkg. dry yeast (Fleishman’s Active Dry or Rapid Rise or Red Star)

1 egg- well beaten

1 tsp. vanilla extract (can also use almond if desired)

7 cups flour (start with between five and six and add more if needed)

one 15 ounce can sliced peaches, drained and sliced thinner

DIRECTIONS

1) Mix butter, sugar, salt an d hot milk in a large bowl.

2) Let cool to lukewarm.

3) Stir yeast into 1/4 cup warm water and let stand 5 minutes. (If using a thermometer it’s 110-115 degrees.

4) Add 1/4 tsp sugar or whatever the package of yeast says to add.

5) Add dissolved yeast, egg, the extract and three cups of flour to the butter, sugar, salt and milk. Mix vigorously with flat wooden spoon.

6) Add three more cups of flour and then mix well.

7) If too sticky, add more flour. It almost always needs more, but not more than 7 cups. Too much flour will make the bread tough.

8) Turn out onto floured surface and knead it for one or two minutes, then let rest for 10 minutes. Add remaining flour only if sticky.

9) Knead more until elastic.

10) Put into large buttered bowl . Turn over once so it doesn’t dry out. Cover with a dishtowel or two and let it rise in a warm place until doubled. (Takes a few hours.)

11) Punch down and knead for another minute or two. Cut in half for two long loaves or in thirds for smaller loaves and divide each of those portions into three pieces (for a total of six or nine pieces.)

12) Stretch and roll each piece until long and uniform, about 12-18 inches if divided into two portions. Shorter if divided into three.

13) Use the three pieces to make a braid with each portion.

14) Pinch ends together.

15) Insert peach slices between braids.

16) Place each loaf on a buttered cookie sheet and cover with a towel. Let rise until doubled in bulk. (Takes about 2 hours.)

17) Brush each with one egg yolk that is mixed with 1 tsp. cold water.

18) Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes (check at about 20 minutes) if making 2 large loaves or less if making three smaller loaves (usually between 17 and 18 minutes)

19) Remove loaves to cooling racks.

20) Cool and then glaze with mixture of:

3 cups confectioner’s sugar

1 and 1/2 tsp. vanilla

5-6 tablespoons milk

Sprinkle with colored sprinkles or non-pareils.

This photo was taken a couple of years back when Elizabeth helped me make the bread. She was probably in first grade at the time. My point is: there’s lots of opportunity for kids to help out here. There’s measuring, kneading, braiding and more, that they can help out with.

NOTE: The whole process takes about nine hours. Start in the morning, end in the evening. Mixing and kneading takes about one hour. First rising takes about two hours. Braiding takes about a half hour. Second rising takes about two hours. Baking takes about a half for each loaf, then cool and glaze.

My mom stores hers in gift boxes (like from a department store) on waxed paper.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

← Older Entries

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 479 other followers